Fastening devices for suspenders, belts and the like



D. OCONNOR June 14, 1960 FASTENING DEVICES FOR SUSPENDERS, BELTS AND THELIKE Filed Aug. 31, 1954 FASTENING DEVICES FOR SUSPENDERS, BELTS AND THELIKE Dagmar OConnor, 19 Queens Gate Ten-ace, London, England Filed Aug.31, 1954, Ser. No. 453,190

Claims priority, application Great Britain, Sept. 2, 1953 1 Claim. (Cl.24-206) This invention relates to fastening devices where it is requiredto connect together readily overlapping parts for varying the efiectivelength of an article, e.g. a suspender or belt, or for fasteningtogether overlapping ends of belts and suspenders, the edges of infantsnapkins, containers and various other like articles. The invention istherefore applicable to a large number of articles and is particularlysuitable as an efiicient substitute for buckles, buttons and similarexisting fasteners many of which either do not afiord much usefuladjustment of the eflective length of a belt or the like, or are awkwardand uncomfortable in use. Thus, for example with suspenders forstockings, it is customary to employ a metal loop which engages over astud on a tongue and to vary the effective length of the suspender bymeans of a buckle or similar form of fastener which has the disadvantageof being the cause of discomfort and protruding somewhat. Also with beltfasteners the customary form of buckles or buttons are liable to yieldunduly or injure the fabric under tension, and ready interengcgement ofoverlapping ends is not usually possible. The object of the presentinvention is to provide a form of fastener which can substitute theexisting buckles, buttons, press studs, hooks and eyes, laces and safetypins and the like, and which will enable a flat and inconspicuousfastening to be effected without the aforesaid disadvantages.

According to the present invention a fastening device for adjusting theeffective length of suspenders, securing together overlapping ends ofbelts, napkins, containers and for like purposes comprises with theopposed overlapping parts interengaging ribs and interstices or slotsdisposed transversely relatively to the direction of tension to whichthe fastening is subjected in the closed position, the said ribs havingalternating channels and being moulded integral with a continuous basepart from a plastic material which is deformable under hand or fingerpressure and which reasserts itself on releasing such pressure. The ribsand channels can be shaped complementarily, the thickness across eachrib being reduced from its free end towards its inner end and the ribsbeing composed of a material which will yield slightly to compression,e.g. a plastic material, vulcanised rubber, a neoprene product, or thelike. Alternatively the ribs of one of the overlapping parts can be thetransverse bars of a grid-like member the ribs of the other part beingshaped as previously described to press into the gaps between the saidbars.

In carrying one form of the invention into practice the means forconnecting together overlapping parts comprises with each part a lengthof moulded or extruded plastic material having a characteristic suchthat it only yields slightly to compression and after slight compressionreasserts itself, e.g. polythene vulcanised rubber or synthetic rubber.Each moulded or extruded element is formed with a plurality of parallelor transverse ribs, alternating with the transverse channels ofcomplementary nitecl States Patent shape, each rib having a crosssection which is substanice tially that of the Greek symbol capitalomega or mu e.g. semi-circular at the outer end merged curvilinearlyinto a slightly narrower neck portion which in turn merges into theadjacent channels.

In practice the number of transverse ribs should preferably be a minimumof five, although of course this number can be modified according to thepurpose to which the fastening is to be applied, and where a fair amountof adjustment is required, as for example with suspenders, the number oftransverse ribs on each of the transverse parts can be in theneighbourhood of ten or even more. The moulded or extruded stripstherefore take a somewhat corrugated form, and each of them is sewn orotherwise secured to the appropriate part of the garment, and with asuspender would be secured to opposite ends of a length of elastic whichwould be passed between its ends through'the customary loop carrying theattachment for the stocking, and one corrugated element would be securedalong the free end of the length of elastic and the other along theopposite end, so that in effecting a fastening operation these two endsare overlapped and pinched together to press the ribs of one into theinterstices of the other whilst the elastic is under the requiredtension. The interengaging parts can be detached readily by providing onthe front or outer face of the free end of the elastic a tab for pullingthe interengaging parts apart.

The ribs may be straight or of chevron or arcuate form and it is foundthat by adopting chevron or arcuate shapes and by arranging them in theappropriate direction relatively to the line of tension extra securityis obtained when the fastening is subjected to tensioning only in onedirection. To enhance the gripping action one of the lengths of mouldedor extruded rib material can be provided along both sides with amarginal ridge extending along and closing the ends of the grooves, theother strip being left open at the ends of the grooves.

It will be apparent that the fastening device may be employed forreadily securing together the overlapping ends of infants napkins,bandages, for fastening flaps of brief cases and handbags, adjusting theeifective length of braces and for many other purposes.

As an alternative form of the present invention one of the saidoverlapping parts can be constructed in the manner already described buttheother can comprise a thin bar of metal or stiff plastic materialprovided with a line of holes each shaped to receive as a push fit anopposed rib on the other part, the material between the holes forming asuccession of grid-like members which press into the channelsalternating with the ribs. This slotted member may be suificientlypliable to bend slightly to facilitate its attachment to the ribbedmember and to enable it to adopt its contour to deformation applied tothe ribbed member. One end of the slotted member is formed with a D oras a loop slightly bent away from the plane of the slotted member toafford an anchorage for one end of the suspender or belt, the free endof the slotted member having a tab preferably projecting from anangularly bent end part of the slotted member,'the angularly bent endsof the slotted member bent away from the face of the member which ispressed against the ribbed member so that the tab and the belt or thelike attached to the other end of the slotted member can lie close tothe free ends of the adjacent ribs.

Embodiments of the invention are illustrated by accompanying drawings,wherein,

Figure l is a perspective view showing two mutually interengaging stripelements exaggerated in thickness for clearness of illustration, partlydisengaged, these elements being suitable as attachments to the ends ofa belt, tabs for an expansible suitcase, briefcase or the like for theFigure is a detail perspective View of another em hoditi eu n h h n f tement is a l t ed tifi adaptedto engage under pressure over the ribsofothe nan? Referring to Figure, l of the drawings the adjustablefastening device comprises two strips 1 and 2 or poly-. or othersuitable similar mouldable flexible plastic material which is deformableslightly under finger pressure and which will reassert itselfwhen the.pressure is 7 released. a

i The strip 1. is slightly narrower than the. strip 2 but both areformed withidentically shaped. transverse ribs 14;; and 24 each of whichhas a substantially capital omega shaped cross section the intersticesbetween the successive ribs being of identical cross section so that, it

. he r ps a composed fi m yet me a v b Plast c m teria uch a Po y h neif t e bb d ces o th tw Pa t arer ed fi mly one 1 9 e o h r the h ads ortre end p rts o the bs w l nter he: s me sne din y sh ped nne parts atthe in er ic s a d. be same a ked th i rt us requir g a stro n ll to senrat hem- Th sn ll an e ppli d by neansota ab 3 on a backing strip 4 ofone of the strips; or formed integral with the strip 1'- or, 2. Thebackingetrips can comprise the end parts of a belt, or can be straps or.tabs f. va briefcase or suitcase or the like, to which the strips 1. and2 are firmly secured by a suitable cement and/or stitching.

The thickness of the thinnest part'of'the' ribbed strips need only beabout .025 and; the thickness, of the ribs about the, same, theintention being to keepJthe thickness ofthe material as low as possibleprovided it will withstand the tension to which it is .to. be subjectedlengthwise of the strips for'the purpose of securing two memberstogether.

The reason for making the strip 1 slightly narrower than the strip 2 isto provide with the strip 2 positive ahutments for the ends of the ribs1a when the two strips are interengaged, this being obtained by mouldingthe strip lwith Webs or ridges 5' across the ends of the interstices toact as abutments for the ends of the rib 1a thus preventing sliding ofthe two interengaged strips laterally he. in. a direction parallel withthe axes of the ribs.

In the embodiment shown in Figures 2, '3' and 4 the ribbed strip 2 ispermanently afiixed to a back strip 6 of the same plastic material whichis shaped to produce the equivalent of the aforesaid abutment webs orridges 5 of Figure 1, thus enabling the strips 1 and 2 to be cut from astandardised length of moulded plastic material. For this purpose theback strip 6 is moulded with a shallow channel 60 to accommodate thestrip 2 thus leaving two longitudinal marginal ribs 6b to act asabutments for the ends of the ribs 1a of the strip 1. The strip 1 v 7need only have a length suflicient for about ribs in as thisxis carriedby the free end part of the strap 1 ;1- over the ribbed strip 2 andfastening effected by pressing the ribs of one into the interstices of;the other.

A tab 9 is provided for pulling the strip 1 away from the head 2a andthe associated neck part 2b a step 20', this ensuring a still morepositive anchorage of the strips 1 and 2 to each other provided thebulbous heads of each strip incline in the direction of tension appliedto the member carrying them. That is to say, to some extent the ribs ofone strip hook. the ribs of the opposed stri v I is a further embodimentof thepresent invention only one of the strips may be ribbed as elg.shown in Figure 5, in which the. bulhnus'sec ionribs la o a str p t chto one end of a belt or the; lilge are forced through transverse slots13 in. a rigid plate '14 attached to. the other end of the belt or thelike, theslots being narrower than the headsor-the ribs 2a; :1 H

When using a slotted plateld the ribs 2a will be thicker than isrequired in the"devices previously described to afiord ample materialand a rigidity for the plate 14.

It will be apparent that in-some cases the width of: the ribbedstripsfcan be widerthan shown in the erarnples already given,particularly when the strips 1 and 2 are applied'toa napkin-or the like.or, the. overlapping" mouth parts of a bag... Iusuchp case. the longerdimension of the strips Willi be parallel with the ribs 141- and 2 a foe ch a a o r wresi-eb ut{fi e s; eed. b Pmr d In some s s he bbe ma e iacan. be P dated by ansxtr sinnnr sess wh eh' sc -is conte plated unearts rm aw rdin a Icla mfi .4 "Astq susn der dev e medic-b Pla ed undertension for support ng :a steamermprisin a b i trip at one end.v ad pt do be adxedtc th arment o which the stocking is suspended and free atits; other end, which ends aread pted to b secured t getber' c npqr iibiby interengagingz fastening means to-rformpa suspension loop so thatthe; fastening; means when interengaged receives the, tension; due totheseeuring or; supporting or the stocking, said. fastening meanscomprising at one end of the backing; strip a first set ofparallelidentically shaped equiclist-a'ntly spaced ribs or plasticmaterial er tending transuersely across. the? backing strip, a secondset of like ribs at the other'end of the backing strip, a tab. extendingbeyondone end of the'baclcingistrip, a loop-like garment-engagingmember" through which the backing strip passes between its endsgeach ribbeing of bulbous cross-section :so. that. each has a relatively thinneck between its free end'and saidi strip, and. the inter-. stices:alternating with the ribs beirrgsubstantially correspondingly shaped inthe reverse direction so. that said interstices of one set willaccommodate the free end parts of the ribs of the other set and viceversawhen one. set is pressed against the other to cause: the freeendsof the ribs to snap into theoppo'sed interstices, abutments on posed to.the ends of the interstices of one set of ribs which is carried throughthe usual loop 8 of a snspender strip 2. r The strap 7 is shown orotherwise secured to the garment 10.

'Iheribbed strips 1 and 2 can be moulded so that in cross esction thebulbous free ends of the ribs incline uniformly towards one end of thestrip as shown in Figure 4 so that the successive ribs and intersticesform in v effect a succession of substantially mu shaped parts eachhaving on one face at the junction of the bulbous References Citedin'thefileof' this patent 622,220; 1899 $1,538,846! 4925 12,035,674" i f 19352,061,680 5 I 1936 2,466,741 1949 2,499,898 195 0 2,558,367 19512,772,469 7 Y 1956 9, .9 1 194 I f.- 3 1;041 Germany Jan, 7, 1954952,885 lviay 9, 1949 1,037,455 France .."Apr. 29,1953

